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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

A COMFORTABLE CONSCIENCE

“Sin causes the
convulsions of horror which distort and torment a person's conscience. Peace of
conscience is the blessing of the Gospel and only the Gospel.

Conscience knows
Jesus, and the Gospel of Jesus; it refuses to obey anyone or anything else. Two
particular themes will demonstrate this truth-- first, what satisfies the
conscience; and second, what applies this satisfaction to the conscience.

What satisfies the
conscience? Sin causes the convulsions of horror, which distort and torment a
person's conscience. If this little word-- but such a deadly plague-- could
ever be blotted out of men's minds, the storm would soon be stilled and the
soul would immediately become a calm sea, quiet and smooth, without the least
wave of fear to disturb its face. But sin is the Jonah, which stirs up the
tempest; wherever it comes, war is sure to follow.

When Adam sinned
he drank away this sweet peace of conscience in one unhappy swallow. No wonder
it almost choked him as soon as it was down his throat-- "and they knew
that they were naked" Genesis 3:7. Now, whatever is to bring true peace to
the conscience must first prostrate this Goliath of sin before the war can end
and peace can heal.

It is true-- the
poisoned head of sin's arrow, which burns and throbs in the sinner's conscience
is guilt. It robs the person of his rest by giving the alarm that judgment is
coming and punishment is inevitable. Because that man dreads what will happen
when this infinite wrath of the eternal living God comes for him, he lives in
fear and agony of that expectation.

Now if you want to
comfort a conscience which roasts on the burning embers of God's anger, kindled
by his own guilt, you must first quench those coals and present the news that
God forgives sin and that He will make reconciliation with sinners who repent
and believe. Nothing but this Gospel can offer the man true peace with his own
thoughts.